The invention relates to a unitized high voltage switch assembly for electrical switchgear such as air break disconnect switches used in transmission and substation systems for the control and routing of power. And, in particular, to such a high voltage switch assembly having a plurality of high voltage disconnect switches mounted on a single member to form a three phase unitized assembly for quick installation with one or more switch blades per phase that rotate in the operative position to open and close the high voltage air break disconnect switches.
It is common in today's electrical utility industry for electric transmission and substation switches to be unitized, i.e., an electric transmission switch assembly can include a plurality of high voltage electric disconnect switches mounted in an arrangement attached to an elongated base member which is mounted vertically to a utility pole or to a substation structure. Such a unitized arrangement is disclosed as a phase over phase arrangement in U.S. Pat. No. 9,355,797 B1 issued to Charles M. Cleaveland, one the present inventors, and others, on May 31, 2016, and assigned to the present assignee, Cleaveland/Price Inc. of Trafford, Pa. The said U.S. Pat. No. 9,355,797 B1 is herein incorporated by reference as though fully set forth. Also, being currently marketed by Cleaveland/Price Inc. is a one-way unitized phase over phase arrangement that is also attached to an elongated base member which is mounted vertically to a utility pole. In this regard, reference is made to the present assignee Cleaveland/Price Inc.—Bulletin DB-600A12. Such a phase over phase unitized switch assembly when fully assembled is desirably shipped on a truck to its final location for installation on a utility pole in an electric utility system.
It has been found that such switch assemblies as disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 9,355,797 B1 and in said Cleaveland/Price Inc. Bulletin DB-600A12 which includes two-way and three-way switches, and the said one-way switch currently marketed by Cleaveland/Price Inc. are often too wide to ship legally on a truck on U.S. roads. Specifically, for example, a three-way 115 kV switch assembly is too wide to ship legally by truck on roads in the U.S. Higher voltage versions of this switch assembly and one-way untized switches are also too wide to ship legally by truck on roads in the U.S.
Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 8,541,702 B2 issued to Frank Clay Blalock, on Sep. 24, 2013, and assigned to Southern States, LLC of Hampton, Ga., which discloses a single phase non-unitized high voltage electric power switch that includes a platform with structural beams and struts that folds and unfolds for installation in the field.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to devise an improved and unique three phase high voltage switch assembly that permits shipping on trucks one-way, two-way or three-way switch assemblies that are attached to an elongated base member and that are specifically unitized and therefore very large and presently too wide to ship legally on a truck on roads in the U.S.